The present invention relates to a golf shot recordal system, which permits images of a golfer's shot to be recorded.
Golf is a game that is popular in many countries. Part of the enjoyment of the game for many golfers is discussing their good and bad shots after the round of golf has finished. However, as golf is typically played in groups of two to four people, only a small number of people will actually see the shot in question.
It would therefore be desirable for a golfer to be able to watch their shots back after the round has finished, so that they can share this with golfers who were not in their group when back in the clubhouse, or at a later time with friends or family who were not on the golf course. Watching the golfer's reaction to their shot may also provide entertainment.
This could also be useful for helping the golfer improve their game, as they can review their shots critically after their round of golf. They may also choose to show the shots to the club pro or other coach or trainer to obtain feedback on the shots.
The system could also be used to measure the length of a golfer's shot or to assess which golfer's ball is closest the hole from a group of golfers.
Systems exist for monitoring the golf swing of a golfer, e.g. in virtual reality golf games, but these do not record an overall golf shot.
A system for implementing a closest to the pin challenge is also known, as described in US2005/0192124. This system employs a tall lamppost-like structure located to one side of the green, housing a computer-controlled camera with pan, tilt and zoom control. The concept employs a laser tracking system for location of the ball on the green and uses complex mathematical algorithms to analyse the data and determine the absolute distance of each ball from the hole. There are a number of fundamental theoretical and practical challenges with this approach. These include the aesthetic and obstructive nature of such a large, permanent structure, the possible need for planning permission, the need for very long cables to be buried underground with the inherent disruption and damage to the course, inflexibility, difficulty of maintenance, the possible health and safety implications associated with using a tracking laser on the green where it could potentially cause retina damage to golfers, and susceptibility to vandalism and possible lightning damage.
Even if these practical issues could be overcome, the system is extremely complex and the inherent geometric limitations imposed by the offset camera position would require sophisticated calibration and processing of the data to compensate for the asymmetric configuration, with considerable potential for measurement inaccuracy, which could compromise the validity of the competition. It is considered that these factors would make it very difficult and extremely costly to realise a practical implementation of the concept.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system that permits images of a golfer's shot to be recorded whilst avoiding or alleviating such problems.